The Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2000 Albums
1. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (Aftermath Ent./Interscope)
2. PJ Harvey Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (Island/Def Jam)
3. Outkast Stankonia (Laface/Arista)
4. Harry Smith's Anthology Of American Folk Music, Volume Four (Revenant)
5. Fela Kuti The Best Best Of Fela Kuti (Mca)
6. Sonic Youth Nyc Ghosts & Flowers (Interscope)
7. Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai: The Album (Epic/Razor Sharp/Sony Music Soundtrax)
8. Lou Reed Ecstasy (Reprise)
9. Erykah Badu Mama's Gun (Motown)
10. James Carter Chasin' The Gypsy (Atlantic)
11. Fatboy Slim Between The Gutter And The Stars (Astralwerks)
12. De La Soul Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (Tommy Boy)
13. D'angelo Voodoo (Virgin)
14. The Go-Betweens The Friends Of Rachel Worth (Jetset)
15. James Carter Layin' In The Cut (Atlantic)
16. Steely Dan Two Against Nature (Giant)
17. Roni Size/Reprazent In The Mode (Talkin' Loud/Island)
18. Madonna Music (Maverick/Warner Bros.)
19. Everclear Songs From An American Movie: Vol. 1: Learning How To Smile (Capitol)
20. Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now (Reprise)
21. Wu-Tang Clan The W (Loud)
22. The Waco Brothers Electric Waco Chair (Bloodshot)
23. Lyricist Lounge Vol. 2 (Rawkus)
24. Badly Drawn Boy The Hour Of Bewilderbeast (Xl)
25. Elastica The Menace (Atlantic)
26. Merle Haggard If I Could Only Fly (Anti-)
27. Tropicália Essentials (Hip-O '99)
28. Kwaito: South African Hip Hop (Stern's/Earthworks)
29. Los Van Van The Best Of Los Van Van (Hemisphere)
30. Del The Funky Homosapien Both Sides Of The Brain (Hiero Imperium)
31. Built To Spill Live (Warner Bros.)
32. Wyclef Jean The Ecleftic (Columbia)
33. Youssou N'dour Joko (The Link) (Nonesuch)
34. Big Youth Natty Universal Dread 1973-1979 (Blood And Fire Import)
35. The Handsome Family In The Air (Carrot Top)
36. Amy Rigby The Sugar Tree (Koch)
37. Common Like Water For Chocolate (Mca)
38. At The Drive-In Relationship Of Command (Grand Royal)
39. M.O.P. Warriorz (Loud)
40. Ass Ponys Some Stupid With A Flare Gun (Checkered Past)
41. Dancehall 101 Vol. 1 (Vp)
42. Blackalicious Nia (Quannum Projects)
43. Cheikh Lô Bambay Gueej (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
44. Grandaddy The Sophtware Slump (V2)
45. Puerto Rico (Putumayo World Music)
46. Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2 (Elektra)
47. Hip Hop 101 (Tommy Boy Black Label)
48. Augustus Pablo The Great Pablo (Music Club)
49. Dee Dee Bridgewater Live At Yoshi's (Verve '99)
50. Chicks On Speed Chicks On Speed Will Save Us All! (Chicks On Speed Import)
51. Mc Paul Barman It's Very Stimulating (Wordsound)
52. Shelby Lynne I Am Shelby Lynne (Island)
53. Bettie Serveert Private Suit (Palomine)
54. Sarge Distant (Mud)
55. Amadou Et Mariam Tje Ni Mousso (Polydor/Universal Import)
56. Radiohead Kid A (Capitol)
57. The Real Hip-Hop: Best Of D&D Studios Vol.1 (Cold Front '99)
58. The Apples In Stereo The Discovery Of A World Inside The Moone (Spinart)
59. Loud Rocks (Loud)
60. Rokia Traoré Wanita (Indigo Import)
61. Modest Mouse The Moon And Antarctica (Epic)
62. Select Cuts From Blood & Fire (Select Cuts Import)
63. Fatboy Slim On The Floor At The Boutique (Astralwerks)
64. Romeo Must Die (Virgin)
65. M2m Shades Of Purple (Atlantic)
66. Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos ¡Muy Divertido! (Very Entertaining!) (Atlantic)
67. Modest Mouse Building Nothing Out Of Something (Up)
68. Sleater-Kinney All Hands On The Bad One (Kill Rock Stars)
69. Idlewild Hope Is Important (Odeon '99)
70. Pink Can't Take Me Home (Laface)
71. U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind (Interscope)
72. Third World Cop (Palm Pictures)
73. Dan Bryk Lovers Leap (Scratchie)
74. Khevrisa European Klezmer Music (Smithsonian Folkways)
75. Sway & King Tech This Or That (Interscope '99)
76. Ghostface Killah Supreme Clientele (Epic/Razor Sharp)
77. Rubén González Chanchullo (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
78. The Rough Guide To Cumbia (World Music Network Import)
79. Belle And Sebastian Tigermilk (Matador '99)
80. Fela Kuti Confusion/Gentlemen (Mca)
81. Chumbawamba Wysiwyg (Republic)
82. Kasey Chambers The Captain (Warner Bros.)
83. High Fidelity (Hollywood)
84. Veruca Salt Resolver (Velveteen/Beyond)
Singles 2000
1. Eminem "Kim" (Aftermath/Interscope)
2. Outkast "Ms. Jackson" (Laface)
3. Eminem "Stan" (Aftermath/Interscope)
4. Eminem "The Real Slim Shady" (Aftermath/Interscope)
5. Bruce Springsteen "American Skin" (Msg)
6. Britney Spears " . . . Oops, I Did It Again" (Jive)
7. Baha Men "Who Let The Dogs Out" (Artemis)
8. Sisqó "Thong Song" (Def Soul)
9. Nelly "(Hot S***) Country Grammar" (Universal)
10. Pink "There You Go" (Laface)
11. M2m "Girl Of Your Dreams" (Atlantic)
12. Madd Anju "Wah Dis Fada" (Vp)
13. Mystikal "Shake Ya Ass" (Jive)
14. Black Rob "Whoa!" (Bad Boy)
15. Lee Ann Womack "I Hope You Dance" (Mca)
16. 3 Doors Down "Kryptonite" (Republic)
17. Green Velvet "Answering Machine" (F-111)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2001 Albums
1. Bob Dylan "Love and Theft" Columbia
2. The Moldy Peaches The Moldy Peaches Rough Trade/Sanctuary
3. Manu Chao Proxima Estacion: Esperanza Virgin
4. Tricky Blowback Hollywood
5. The Coup Party Music 75 Ark
6. Orlando Cachaito Lopez Cachaito World Circuit/Nonesuch
7. Old 97's Satellite Rides Elektra
8. Atmosphere Lucy Ford Rhymesayers Entertainment
9. Pink Missundaztood Arista
10. Rachid Taha Made in Medina Mondo Melodia
11. Nils Petter Molvaer Solid Ether ECM
12. De La Soul AOI: Bionix Tommy Boy
13. The White Stripes White Blood Cells Sympathy for the Record Industry
14. Black Box Recorder The Facts of Life Jetset
15. Tea in Marrakech Stern's/Earthworks
16. Lucinda Williams Essence Lost Highway
17. Blink-182 Take Off Your Pants and Jacket MCA
18. Hakim The Lion RoarsÑLive in America Mondo Melodia
19. Buck 65 Man Overboard Anticon
20. The New Pornographers Mass Romantic Mint '00
21. Baaba Maal Missing You . . . Mi Yeewnii Palm
22. Haiku d'Etat Haiku d'Etat Pure Hip Hop, Inc. '00
23. Drive-By Truckers Southern Rock Opera Soul Dump
24. Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe and His Nigerian Soundmakers Sound Time Indigedisc
25. Leonard Cohen Ten New Songs Columbia
26. Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga Ujumbe Stern's/Earthworks
27. Clem Snide The Ghost of Fashion Spinart
28. Highlife Allstars Sankofa Network Import
29. New Order Get Ready Reprise
30. Buddy Guy Sweet Tea Silvertone
31. The Rough Guide to Indonesia World Music Network Import
32. Ghostface Killah Bulletproof Wallets Epic
33. Lightning Bolt Ride the Sky Load
34. Pernice Brothers The World Won't End Ashmont
35. Taraf de Haïdouks Band of Gypsies Nonesuch
36. St. Lunatics Free City Universal
37. Select Cuts From Blood & Fire Chapter Two Select Cuts Import
38. Kirsty MacColl Tropical Brainstorm Instinct
39. Shakira Laundry Service Epic
40. Babyface Face 2 Face Arista
41. Michael Jackson Invincible Epic
42. Maria Muldaur Richland Woman Blues Stony Plain Import
43. The Strokes Is This It RCA
44. KMD Bl-ck B-st-rds Sub Verse
45. Le Tigre Feminist Sweepstakes Mr. Lady
46. Willie Nelson Rainbow Connection Island
47. Shaver The Earth Rolls On New West
48. Mush Filmstrip (Frame 1) Shadow
49. Orchèstre Vévé Vintage Verckys Tetroafric Import
50. Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor J
51. The Handsome Family Twilight Carrot Top
52. Björk Vespertine Elektra
53. Jay-Z The Blueprint Roc-A-Fella
54. Silkworm Lifestyle Touch and Go '00
55. Faudel Baïda Mondo Melodia
56. The Soul Brothers The Rough Guide to the Soul Brothers World Music Network Import
57. Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards Hellcat
58. The Rough Guide to Cuban Son World Music Network Import
59. Kékélé Rumba Congo Stern's Africa
60. The Rough Guide to Bhangra World Music Network Import '00
61. Aceyalone Accepted Eclectic Ground Control
62. Bang on a Can Terry Riley: In C Cantaloupe
63. Salsa Clasica Music Club '00
64. Stephen Malkmus Stephen Malkmus Matador
65. The Sidewalks of New York Winter and Winter Import '99
66. Bang on a Can Renegade Heaven Cantaloupe
67. Aesop Rock Labor Days Def Jux
68. James Blood Ulmer Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions label m
69. Bosavi Smithsonian Folkways
70. Brun Campbell Joplin's Disciple Delmark
71. Basement Jaxx Rooty Astralwerks
72. Unsung Heroes Unleashed 75 Ark '00
73. Rodney Crowell The Houston Kid Sugar Hill
74. Wadada Leo Smith/Thomas Mapfumo Dreams and Secrets Anonymous Web
75. Burnt Sugar/The Arkestra Chamber Blood on the Leaf: Opus No. 1 Trugroid
76. City High City High Booga Basement/Interscope
Singles 2001
1. The Clash "Rock the Casbah" Epic
2. M.O.P "Ante Up" Loud
3. The Moldy Peaches "Jorge Regula" Rough Trade/Sanctuary
4. Bob Dylan "Po' Boy" Columbia
5. Artful Dodger "Re-Rewind" v2
6. Rachid Taha "Barra Barra" Mondo Melodia
7. Manu Chao "Merry Blues" Virgin
8. Pink "Get the Party Started" Arista
9. Loudon Wainwright III "White Winos" Red House
10. St. Lunatics "Midwest Swing" Universal
11. Black Box Recorder "The Facts of Life" Jetset
12. Mary J. Blige "PMS" MCA
13. Bullfrog "Reverse Psychology" Ropeadope
14. Atmosphere "Party for the Fight to Write" Rhymesayers Entertainment
15. The Moldy Peaches "Who's Got the Crack" Rough Trade/Sanctuary
16. Leonard Cohen "In My Secret Life" Columbia
17. Michael Jackson "Unbreakable" Epic
18. Aceyalone "Rappers, Rappers, Rappers" Ground Control
19. Saul Williams "La La La" American
20. Maxwell "This Woman's Work" Epic
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2002 Albums
1. Mekons OOOH! (Quarterstick)
2. DJ Shadow The Private Press (MCA)
3. Orchestra Baobab Specialist in All Styles (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
4. Imperial Teen On (Merge)
5. Kimya Dawson I'm Sorry That Sometimes I'm Mean (Rough Trade)
6. Northern State Hip Hop You Haven't Heard (Northern State)
7. Cornershop Handcream for a Generation (Beggars Banquet)
8. The Hives Veni Vidi Vicious (Sire/Burning Heart/Epitaph)
9. Youssou N'Dour Nothing's in Vain (Coono du réér) (Nonesuch)
10. Sleater-Kinney One Beat (Kill Rock Stars)
11. Spoon Kill the Moonlight (Merge)
12. Tom Zé Jogos de Armar (Trama import '00)
13. Transplants : Transplants (Hellcat)
14. The Mountain Goats Tallahassee (4AD)
15. Mr. Lif I Phantom (Definitive Jux)
16. Djelimady Tounkara Sigui (Indigo)
17. Oh-OK The Complete Recordings (Collectors' Choice)
18. Orchestra Baobab Pirates Choice (World Circuit/Nonesuch)
19. Northern State Dying in Stereo (Northern State)
20. The Best Bootlegs in the World Ever (No Label import)
21. Electric Highlife: Sessions From the Bokoor Studios (Naxos World)
22. The Roots Phrenology (MCA)
23. The Music in My Head 2 (Stern's Africa)
24. Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali A Better Destiny (RealWorld '01)
25. Alanis Morissette Under Rug Swept (Maverick)
26. Justin Timberlake Justified (Jive)
27. N.E.R.D. In Search of . . . (Virgin)
28. Warren Zevon My Ride's Here (Artemis)
29. Big Lazy New Everything (Tasankee)
30. Daniel Bedingfield Gotta Get Thru This (Island)
31. Rachid Taha Live (Mondo Melodia)
32. Roberto Rodriguez El Danzón de Moises (Tzadik)
33. Colombia (Putumayo World Music '01)
34. Cash Money Records: Platinum Hits (Cash Money/Universal)
35. Steinski Nothing to Fear (Soul Ting)
36. Luna Close Cover Before Striking (Jetset)
37. The Velvet Underground Bootleg Series: Volume 1: The Quine Tapes (Polydor '01)
38. Public Enemy Revolverlution (Koch)
39. Steve Earle Jerusalem (E-Squared/Artemis)
40. Buck 65 Square (WEA import)
41. The Meat Purveyors All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail (Bloodshot)
42. The Donnas Spend the Night (Atlantic)
43. Patti Smith Land (Arista)
44. Rhett Miller The Instigator (Elektra)
45. Atmosphere God Loves Ugly (Fat Beats)
46. The History of Township Music (Wrass import)
47. Africa Raps (Trikont import)
48. Orchestra Super Mazembe Giants of East Africa (Earthworks)
49. Will Rigby Paradoxaholic (Diesel Only)
50. Red Hot + Riot (MCA)
51. Fred Eaglesmith Ralph's Last Show (Signature Sounds '01)
52. Dexter's Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment (Cartoon Network/Rhino)
53. Tom Waits Blood Money (Anti-)
54. Eminem The Eminem Show (Aftermath)
55. Pretenders Loose Screw (Artemis)
56. The Streets Original Pirate Material (Locked On/Vice)
57. Andrew W.K. I Get Wet (Island)
58. Silkworm Italian Platinum (Touch and Go)
59. Pine Valley Cosmonauts The Executioner's Last Songs (Bloodshot)
60. The Breeders Title TK (4AD/Elektra)
61. Papa Noel & Papi Oviedo Bana Congo (Tumi import)
62. Wire Read & Burn 01 (Pinkflag import)
63. Badly Drawn Boy Have You Fed the Fish? (Artist Direct)
64. Youssou Ndour Rewmi (Jololi import)
65. Wide Right Wide Right (Wide Right)
66. Yohimbe Brothers Front End Lifter (Ropeadope)
67. Aesop Rock Daylight EP (Def Jux)
68. The Reputation The Reputation (Initial)
69. The Best of International Hip-Hop (Hip-O '00)
70. The Bottle Rockets Songs of Sahm (Bloodshot '01)
71. MC Paul Barman Paullelujah! (Coup d'Etat)
72. South African Freedom Songs (Making Music import)
73. Bhundu Boys The Shed Sessions (Sadza import '01)
74. Mr. Lif Emergency Rations (Definitive Jux)
75. Burnt Sugar That Depends on What You Know: Fubractive: Since Antiquity Suite (Trugroid)
76. Meshell Ndegeocello Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape (Maverick)
77. Hakim Talakik (Mondo Melodia)
78. Dan Bern The Swastika E.P. (Messenger)
79. Amy Allison Sad Girl (Diesel Only '01)
80. Pixies Pixies (SpinArt)
81. The Rough Guide to Raï (World Music Network import)
82. The Blind Boys of Alabama Spirit of the Century (RealWorld '01)
83. The Capricorns In the Zone (Paroxysm)
84. Wish You Were Here: Love Songs to New York (Village Voice)
85. The Apples in Stereo Velocity of Sound (SpinArt)
86. Raphael Saadiq Instant Vintage (Universal)
87. John Forte i, John (Transparent Music)
88. Corey Harris Downhome Sophisticate (Rounder)
89. Issa Bagayogo Timbuktu (Six Degrees)
90. Kasey Chambers Barricades & Brickwalls (Warner Bros.)
91. Pretty Girls Make Graves Good Health (Lookout)
2002 Singles
1. Mystikal "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Up Against the Wall)" (Jive)
2. Freelance Hellraiser "Smells Like Booty" (n/a)
3. Pet Shop Boys "The Night I Fell in Love" (Sanctuary)
4. Pink "Don't Let Me Get Me" (Arista)
5. Eminem "My Dad's Gone Crazy" (Aftermath)
6. OutKast "The Whole World" (Arista)
7. Tweet "Oops (Oh My)" (The Goldmind, Inc./Elektra)
8. Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River" (Jive)
9. Yo La Tengo "Nuclear War" (Matador)
10. Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" (Columbia)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2003 Albums
1. King Sunny Ade The Best of the Classic Years
2. Buck 65 Talkin' Honky Blues
3. Drive-By Truckers Decoration Day
4. The Wrens The Meadowlands
5. Liz Phair Liz Phair
6. Fountains of Wayne Welcome Interstate Managers
7. Lyrics Born Later That Day . . .
8. The Libertines Up the Bracket
9. Kimya Dawson My Sweet Fiend Sweet Princess
10. Missy Elliott This Is Not a Test!
11. Yo La Tengo Summer Sun
12. The Rough Guide to Highlife
13. The Shins Chutes Too Narrow
14. Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt God Bless Jug and Sonny
15. Wire Send
16. OutKast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
17. Down in the Basement
18. Fannypack So Stylistic
19. Kaito U.K. Band Red
20. Rancid Indestructible
21. Warren Zevon The Wind
22. Amy Rigby Til the Wheels Fall Off
23. Festival in the Desert
24. Lucinda Williams World Without Tears
25. The Handsome Family Live at Schuba's Tavern
26. Electric Six Fire
27. Brother Ali Shadows on the Sun
28. Four Tet Rounds
29. Lifesavas Spirit in Stone
30. The Rapture Echoes
31. The Fever Pink on Pink
32. Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around
33. The Black Eyed Peas Elephunk
34. The Dandy Warhols Welcome to the Monkey House
35. Mamani Keita & Marc Minelli Electro Bamako
36. Bettye Lavette A Woman Like Me
37. Bettie Serveert Log 22
38. Kaito The Montigola EP
39. The Bottle Rockets Blue Sky
40. Timbaland & Magoo Under Construction Part II
41. Todd Snider Todd Snider Live: Near Truths and Hotel Rooms
42. Murs . . . The End of the Beginning
43. Arabesque Tlata 3
44. Akrobatik Balance
45. Panjabi MC Beware
46. Gaby Kerpel Carnabailito
47. Craig David Slicker Than Your Average
48. The Postal Service Give Up
49. The Klezmatics Rise Up!/Shteyt Oyf!
50. Lftr-Pllr Soft Rock
51. The Rough Guide to the Music of Egypt
52. Koffi Olomide Best of Koffi Olomide
53. Television Live at the Old Waldorf
54. Aaliyah I Care 4 You
55. The Kings of Highlife
56. Ragga Ragga Ragga! 2003
57. NOFX The War on Errorism
58. Extra Yard
59. The Rough Guide to South African Gospel
60. Al Green I Can't Stop
61. Amy Allison No Frills Friend
62. Ndala Kasheba Yellow Card
63. Jean Grae The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP
64. Ramiro Musotto Sudaka
65. Mr. Lif Sleepyheads
66. The Guitar and Gun
67. McEnroe Disenfranchised
68. Gilad Atzmon Exile
69. The Blue Series Continuum GoodandEvil Sessions
70. Jon Langford and His Sadies Mayors of the Moon
71. James Blood Ulmer No Escape From the Blues
72. Horace X Sackbutt
73. The Naysayer Pure Beauty
74. The Go-Betweens Spring Hill Fair
2003 Singles
1. Panjabi MC featuring Jay-Z Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)
2. Fannypack Hey Mami
3. Justin Timberlake Senorita
4. Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz Get Low Remix
5. Todd Snider Beer Run
6. MC Hawking Entropy
7. Justin Timberlake Rock Your Body
8. OutKast Hey Ya!
9. Yerba Buena Guajira
10. Vybz Kartel Sweet to the Belly
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2004 Albums
1. Brian Wilson - SMiLE
2. Papa Wemba - 1977-1997
3. Kanye West - The College Dropout
4. Youssou N'Dour - Egypt
5. Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous
6. Eminem - Encore
7. Jon Langford - All the Fame of Lofty Deeds
8. Todd Snider - East Nashville Skyline
9. Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart
10. Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed
11. Nas - Street's Disciple
12. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse
13. McEnroe and Birdapres - Nothing Is Cool
14. J.U.F - Gogol Bordello vs. Tamir Muskat
15. The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia
16. Rokia Traore - Bowmboï
17. The Rough Guide to the Music of Kenya
18. Boban Markovic Orkestar - Boban I Marko
19. Mos Def - The New Danger
20. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
21. Caetano Veloso - A Foreign Sound
22. Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Raise Your Spirit Higher
23. Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me
24. Prince - Musicology
25. Northern State - All City
26. Drive-By Truckers - The Dirty South
27. Hound Dog Taylor - Release the Hound
28. Mory Kante - Sabou
29. Peter Stampfel and the Bottle Caps - The Jig Is Up
30. Ozomatli - Street Signs
31. Oumou - Sangare Oumou
32. Party of One - Caught the Blast
33. Z Man - Dope or Dogfood
34. The Rough Guide to Salsa Colombia
35. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company
36. Matthew Shipp - Harmony and Abyss
37. Jaojoby - Malagasy
38. Automato - Automato
39. DNA DNA on DNA
40. The Ponys - Laced With Romance
41. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
42. Buddy Miller - Universal United House of Prayer
43. The Reputation - To Force a Fate
44. Eddie Palmieri - Ritmo Caliente
45. Faces - Five Guys Walk Into a Bar
46. Thelonious Monster - California Clam Chowder
47. The Rough Guide to the Music of Morocco
48. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner
49. Super Mama Djombo - Super Mama Djombo
50. Capital D - Insomnia
51. Kimya Dawson - Hidden Vagenda
52. Arto Lindsay - Salt
53. Freedy Johnston - The Way I Were
54. The Rough Guide to Brazilian Hip-Hop
55. Madvillain - Madvillainy
56. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free
57. Yohimbe Brothers - The Tao of Yo
58. Pipi Skid - Funny Farm
59. Tinariwen - Amassakoul
60. Beautiful Dreamer: - The Songs of Stephen Foster
61. The Roots - The Tipping Point
62. Jill Scott - Beautifully Human
63. Bobby Bare Jr's Young Criminals' Starvation League - From the End of Your Leash
64. Nils Petter Molvaer - NP3
65. The Libertines - The Libertines
66. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
67. The Willowz - The Willowz
68. UTD - Manifest Destiny
69. African Underground Vol 1: Senegal Hip-Hop
70. The Allman Brothers Band - One Way Out Live at the Beacon Theatre
71. Viktor Vaughn - (VV2) Venomous Villain
72. Septeto Rodriquez - Baila! Gitano Baila!
73. Unity: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album
74. The Third Unheard Connecticut Hip Hop 1979-1983
75. Tarika 10: - Beasts, Ghosts & Dancing With History
76. Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs
77. Mekons - Punk Rock
2004 Singles
1. Andre Tanker "Food Fight"
2. Rilo Kiley "It's a Hit"
3. Randy Travis "Raise Him Up"
4. Buddy Miller "Worry Too Much"
5. Moby and Public Enemy "MKLVFKWR"
6. Eminem "Mosh"
7. Jay-Z "99 Problems"
8. Kanye West Featuring Syleena Johnson "All Falls Down"
9. Silkworm "Don't Look Back"
10. Nas "Bridging the Gap"
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2005 Albums
1. Kanye West Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
2. The Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara (World Music Network)
3. Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane At Carnegie Hall (Blue Note)
4. Gogol Bordello Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike (Side One Dummy)
5. Amy Rigby Little Fugitive (Signature Sounds)
6. The Go-Betweens Oceans Apart (Yep Roc)
7. Wide Right Sleeping on the Couch (Poptop)
8. M.I.A. Arular (Interscope/XL)
9. The Hold Steady Separation Sunday (Frenchkiss)
10. Our New Orleans 2005 (Nonesuch)
11. Sleater-Kinney The Woods (Sub Pop)
12. Wussy Funeral Dress (Shake It)
13. The Perceptionists Black Dialogue (Def Jux)
14. Golden Afrique Vol. 1 (Network)
15. Astor Piazzolla The Rough Guide to Astor Piazzolla (World Music Network)
16. Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman Song X (Nonesuch)
17. Shakira Oral Fixation Vol. 2 (Epic)
18. Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine (Epic/Clean Slate)
19. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley Welcome to Jamrock (Tuff Gong/Universal)
20. Balkan Beat Box Balkan Beat Box (JDub)
21. Bobby Pinson Man Like Me (RCA)
22. Loudon Wainwright III Here Come the Choppers! (Sovereign Artists)
23. Danger Doom The Mouse and the Mask (Epitaph)
24. Living Things Ahead of the Lions (Jive/Zomba)
25. Missy Elliott The Cookbook (Atlantic/Gold Mind)
26. Comet Gain City Fallen Leaves (Kill Rock Stars)
27. Lyrics Born Same !@$ Different Day (Quannum Projects)
28. Blueprint 1988 (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
29. Clem Snide End of Love (SpinArt)
30. The Pernice Brothers Discover a Lovelier You (Ashmont)
31. MC Hawking A Brief History of Rhyme (Brash)
32. Art Brut Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Banana Recordings/Fierce Panda)
33. Gogol Bordello East Infection (Rubric)
34. The Rough Guide to Boogaloo (World Music Network)
35. Neil Young Prairie Wind (Reprise)
36. Fountains of Wayne Out-of-State Plates (Virgin)
37. Encre Encre (Clapping Music)
38. Robbie Fulks Georgia Hard (Yep Roc)
39. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (clapyourhandssayyeah.com)
40. James McMurtry Childish Things (Compadre)
41. The Mountain Goats The Sunset Tree (4AD)
42. Amadou et Mariam Je Pense à Toi: The Best of Amadouet Mariam (Universal Music Jazz)
43. Thione Seck Orientation (Stern's Africa)
44. Sufjan Stevens Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
45. The Willowz Talk in Circles (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
46. Cheb I Sabbah La Kahena (Six Degrees)
47. The Books Lost and Safe (Tomlab '04)
48. Blackalicious The Craft (Anti-)
49. World Psychedelic Classics: 3 Love's a Real Thing (Luaka Bop)
50. Global Hip Hop (Manteca)
51. Linton Kwesi Johnson Live in Paris With the Dennis Bovell Dub Band (Wrasse)
52. The Chemical Brothers Push the Button (Astralwerks)
53. Run the Road (Vice/Atlantic)
54. Stevie Wonder A Time to Love (Motown)
55. Amadou & Mariam Dimanche à Bamako (Nonesuch)
56. Four Tet Everything Ecstatic (Domino)
57. Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (Saddle Creek)
58. 50 Cent The Massacre (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope)
59. Bruce Springsteen Devils & Dust (Columbia)
60. The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang (Virgin)
61. Lady Sovereign Vertically Challenged (Chocolate Industries)
62. John Coltrane One Down, One Up (Impulse)
63. Franz Ferdinand You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino)
64. Charlie Robison Good Times (Dualtone '04)
65. The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan (V2)
66. Clinic Winchester Cathedral (Domino '04)
67. Daby Balde Introducing Daby Balde (World Music Network)
68. Shukar Collective Urban Gypsy (Riverboat)
69. DJ Shadow Live! In Tune and On Time (Geffen)
70. Brakes Give Blood(Rough Trade)
71. The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike (Columbia /Memphis Industries)
72. The Ponys Celebration Castle (In the Red)
73. Gaby Lita Bembo and Orchestre Stukas du Za Kita Mata ABC (RetroAfric)
74. Shakira Fijación Oral Vol. 1 (Epic)
75. M.I.A. vs. Diplo Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 (no label '04)
76. Buck 65 This Right Here Is Buck 65 (V2)
77. Cantankerous Cantankerous (Tommy Boy)
78. Boubacar Traoré The Best of Boubacar Traoré (Wrasse '03)
79. Fannypack See You Next Tuesday (Tommy Boy)
80. Rachid Taha Tékitoi (Wrasse)
81. Blaine Larsen Off to Join the World (BNA)
Singles
1. Eminem "We're Still 1" (no label)
2. James McMurtry "We Can't Make It Here" (Compadre)
3. Blaine Larsen "In My High School" (Giantslayer)
4. Kanye West Featuring Jamie Foxx "Gold Digger" (Roc-A-Fella)
5. Miranda Lambert "Kerosene" (Epic)
6. Bobby Pinson "Don't Ask Me How I Know" (RCA)
7. Brad Paisley "Alcohol" (Arista)
8. Legendary K.O. "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" (no label)
9. 50 Cent "Candy Shop" (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope)
10. Black Eyed Peas "My Humps" (A&M)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2006 Albums
1. New York Dolls - One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This (RoadRunner) 17
2. Bob Dylan - Modern Times (Columbia) 15
3. Todd Snider - The Devil You Know (New Door) 12
4. Crunk Hits Vol. 2 (TVT) 12
5. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped (Geffen) 10
6. Maria Muldaur - Heart of Mine--Love Songs of Bob Dylan (Telarc) 8
7. Ornette Coleman - Sound Grammar (Sound Grammar) 8
8. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (Def Jam) 8
9. The Klezmatics - Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah (JMG) 5
10. OutKast - Idlewild (LaFace) 5
11. Romica Puceanu & the Gore Brothers - Sounds From a Bygone Age - Vol. 2 (Asphalt Tango)
12. Tom Waits - Orphans (Anti-)
13. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury (Zomba/Star Trek/Re-Up Gang)
14. The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph)
15. The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (Vice/Atlantic)
16. The Klezmatics - Wonder Wheel - Lyrics by Woody Guthrie (JMG)
17. Africa Remix - Ah Freak Iya (Milan)
18. Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars - Carnival Conspiracy (Piranha)
19. Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (Atlantic)
20. Golden Afrique Vol. 2 (Network)
21. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (Interscope)
22. Nils Petter Molvaer - Streamer (Thirsty Ear)
23. Mariem Hassan con Leyoad - Mariem Hassan con Leyoad (Nubenegra '03)
24. Public Enemy - Rebirth of a Nation (Guerrilla Funk '05)
25. Jenny Lewis With the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (Team Love)
26. Rhymefest - Blue Collar (J/All I Do)
27. Sir Douglas Quintet - Live From Austin TX (New West)
28. Lee Scratch Perry - Panic in Babylon (Narnack)
29. The Handsome Family - Last Days of Wonder (Carrot Top)
30. Crunk Hits (TVT '05)
31. Nils Petter Molvaer - An American Compilation (Thirsty Ear)
32. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Domino)
33. Ion Petre Stoican - Sounds From a Bygone Age - Vol. 1 (Asphalt Tango)
34. Fats Domino - Alive and Kickin' (tipitinasfoundation.org)
35. The Rough Guide to Bhangra Dance (World Music Network)
36. Beyoncé - B'Day (Sony Urban Music/Columbia)
37. Golem - Fresh Off Boat (JDub)
38. From Bakabush - The First Ten Years of Stonetree (Stonetree)
39. Nils Petter Molvaer - ER (Thirsty Ear)
40. The Knife - Silent Scream (Mute)
41. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (Vagrant)
42. Grandaddy - Just Like the Fambly Cat (V2)
43. Kimya Dawson - Remember That I Love You (K)
44. The David S. Ware Quartets - Live in the World (Thirsty Ear '05)
45. DJ Bootsie - The Silent Partner (Ugar)
46. The Gothic Archies - The Tragic Treasury (Nonesuch)
47. Thunderbirds Are Now! - Make History (Frenchkiss)
48. Prince - 3121 (Universal)
49. Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet (Ecstatic Peace!)
50. The Rakes - Capture/Release (V2)
51. Jamie Lidell - Multiply (Warp '05)
52. Pink - I'm Not Dead (LaFace/Zomba)
53. Tom Zé - Estudando O Pagode (Luaka Bop)
54. Tropicália (Soul Jazz)
55. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador)
56. Burning Spear - Creation Rebel - Classic Recordings From Studio One (Heartbeat '04)
57. Bell Orchestre - Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light (Rough Trade '05)
58. Congotronics 2 (Crammed Discs)
59. Tartit - Abacabok (Crammed Discs)
60. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime (Paper Bag)
61. Love Is All - Nine Times That Same Song (What's Your Rupture?)
62. Rhett Miller - The Believer (Verve Forecast)
63. Teddybears - Soft Machine (Big Beat/Atlantic)
64. Jesus H. Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse - Jesus H. Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse (jesushchristrocks.com)
65. Hamell on Trial - Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs (Righteous Babe)
66. Dr. John - Right Place, Right Time (Hyena)
67. The McKay Brothers - Cold Beer and Hot Tamales (Medina River)
68. Odyssey the Band - Back in Time (Pi '05)
69. Kékélé - Kinavana (Stern's Africa '05)
70. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love (Motown/Vertigo)
71. James Carter Organ Trio - Out of Nowhere (Half Note '05)
72. Ghostface Killah - More Fish (Def Jam)
73. Taraf de Haïdouks - The Adventures of Taraf de Haïdouks - The DVD (Crammed Discs)
74. Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Boulevard de l'Indépendance (Nonesuch)
75. Journey Into Paradise - The Larry Levan Story (Rhino)
76. Buck 65 - Secret House Against the World (WEA '05)
77. The Rough Guide to Planet Rock (World Music Network)
78. Placebo - Meds (Virgin)
79. Run the Road 2 (Vice)
80. KRS-One - Life (Antagonist)
81. The Mighty Sparrow - First Flight (Smithsonian Folkways '05)
2006 Singles
1. Todd Snider - You Got Away With It (New Door)
2. Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. - My Love (Jive)
3. New York Dolls - Dance Like a Monkey (Roadrunner)
4. Ice Cube - Go to Church (Lench Mob)
5. B.G. - Move Around (Chopper City)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2007 Albums
1. M.I.A. - Kala (Interscope)
2. Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta! (Side One Dummy)
3. Tabu Ley Rochereau - The Voice of Lightness (Stern's Africa)
4. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3 (Purloined Datadisc)
5. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Merge)
6. Lucinda Williams - West (Lost Highway)
7. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Sony/BMG Nashville)
8. Lily Allen - Alright, Still (Capitol)
9. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight (Warner Bros.)
10. Burial - Untrue (Cargo)
11. Against Me! - New Wave (Sire)
12. Fountains of Wayne - Traffic and Weather (Virgin)
13. Youssou N'Dour - Rokku Mi Rakka (Give and Take) (Nonesuch)
14. The Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder (Yep Roc)
15. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (Frenchkiss)
16. Wussy - Left for Dead (Shake It)
17. Balkan Beat Box - Nu Med (JDub)
18. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (Saddle Creek)
19. Imperial Teen - The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band (Merge)
20. Lil Wayne - The Carter 3 (Purloined Datadisc)
21. White Stripes - Icky Thump (Warner Bros.)
22. Fanfare Ciocarlia - Queens and Kings (Asphalt Tango)
23. Jill Scott - The Real Thing (Hidden Beach)
24. Babyshambles - Shotter's Nation (Astralwerks)
25. Soulja Boy - Souljaboytellem.com (Interscope)
26. Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams (SRC/Univeral Motown)
27. Go! Team - Proof of Youth (Sub Pop)
28. Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (Arts & Crafts)
29. Authenticité - The Sylliphone Years (Stern's Africa)
30. 3 Tenors of Soul - All the Way From Philadelphia (Shanachie)
31. Kenge Kenge - Introducing Kenge Kenge (Riverboat)
32. The-Dream - Love/Hate (Def Jam)
33. Hyphy Hitz (TVT)
34. Busdriver - Fear of a Black Tangent (Mush '05)
35. No Age - Weirdo Rippers (Fatcat)
36. Public Enemy - How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul??? (Slamjamz)
37. Motel Lovers (Trikont)
38. Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains (Geffen)
39. Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead (Columbia '06)
40. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (Nothing)
41. Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam)
42. Amy LaVere - Anchors and Anvils (Archer)
43. Colombiafrica - The Mystic Orchestra - Voodoo Love in a Champeta-Land (Riverboat)
44. Buck 65 - Situation (Strange Famous)
45. Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (Virgin)
46. Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers (Hungry Mouse)
47. Konono No 1 - Live at Couleur Café (Crammed Discs)
48. Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Ray Price - Last of the Breed Vol. 1 & 2 (Lost Highway)
49. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder (clapyourhandssayyeah.com)
50. The Oohlas - Best Stop Pop (Stolen Transmission '06)
51. African Pearls 1 - Rumba on the River (Syllart)
52. Tinariwen - Aman Iman (World Village)
53. Girl Talk - Night Ripper (Illegal Art '06)
54. Manu Chao - La Radiolina (Nacional/Because)
55. Toni Iordache - Sounds From a Bygone Era Vol. 4 (Asphalt Tango)
56. Jewface (Reboot Stereophonic)
57. Lori McKenna - Unglamorous (Warner Bros.)
58. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool (Atlantic)
59. Bokoor Beats (Otrabanda)
60. Kanye West - Graduation (Roc-A-Fella)
61. Ponytail - Kamehameha (Creative Capitalism)
62. The Thermals - The Body the Blood the Machine (Sub Pop '06)
63. Nigeria Special (Soundway)
64. The Roots of Chicha (Barbès)
65. Hot Chip - The Warning (Astralwerks '06)
66. The Fall - Reformation - Post TLC (Narnack)
67. Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar - Obecanje - The Promise--Balkan Mix (Piranha)
68. Common - Finding Forever (Geffen)
69. Clinic - Visitations (Domino)
70. Tom Zé - Danc-Eh-Sa (Irara)
71. 7L & Esoteric - A New Dope (Babygrande '06)
72. Urban African Club (Out Here)
73. Mavis Staples - We'll Never Turn Back (Anti-)
74. Look Directly Into the Sun (Bloodshot)
75. brakesbrakesbrakes - The Beatific Visions (Rough Trade)
2007 Singles
1. Gogol Bordello - Ultimate (Side One Dummy)
2. Britney Spears - Piece of Me (Jive)
3. Randy Newman - A Few Words in Defense of Our Country (iTunes)
4. LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum (Capitol)
5. Lil Wayne - I Feel Like Dying (Purloined Datadisc)
6. Rihanna - Umbrella (Def Jam)
7. Of Montreal - The Past Is a Grotesque Animal (Polyvinyl)
8. Paul McCartney - Nod Your Head (Hear Music)
9. Lucinda Williams - Are You Alright? (Lost Highway)
10. Lil Mama - Lip Gloss (Jive)
11. Brad Paisley - Ticks (Arista)
12. Akon - Smack That (Universal)
13. Prince - Guitar (NPG/Columbia)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2008 Albums
1. Franco - Francophonic (Sterns Africa) 18
2. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III (Deluxe Edition) (Cash Money/Universal/Motown) 16
3. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark (New West) 16
4. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (Interscope) 10
5. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst (Merge) 10
6. Randy Newman - Harps and Angels (Nonesuch) 8
7. Les Amazones de Guinee - Wamato (Sterns Africa) 7
8. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind (Lost Highway) 5
9. The Roots - Rising Down (Def Jam) 5
10. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion (Nonesuch) 5
11. Orchestra Baobab - Made in Dakar (Nonesuch)
12. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals (Illegal Art)
13. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It (Columbia)
14. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster . . . (Arts & Crafts)
15. Steinski - What Does It All Mean - 1983-2006 Retrospective (Illegal Art)
16. Robert Forster - The Evangelist (Yep Roc)
17. T.I. - Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
18. Menya - The Ol' Reach-Around (no label)
19. Jaguar Love - Jaguar Love (Matador)
20. The Rough Guide to Colombian Street Party (World Music Network)
21. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala (Secretly Canadian '07)
22. Old 97's - Blame It on Gravity (New West)
23. K'naan - The Dusty Foot Philosopher (iM Culture)
24. Franco - African Classics (Sheer/Cantos)
25. Jesus H. Christ & Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse - Happier Than Me (jesushchristrocks.com)
26. The Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies (World Music Network)
27. Taj Mahal - Maestro (Heads Up)
28. La Cherga - Fake No More (Asphalt Tango)
29. Love Is All - A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night (What's Your Rupture)
30. Toumast - Ishtar (Real World)
31. El Guincho - Alegranza (XL)
32. Homeboy Sandman - Actual Factual Pterodactyl (Boy Sand Industries)
33. Arriba la Cumbia! (Crammed Discs)
34. Setona & African Crossroads - Live (Blue Flame '05)
35. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (XL)
36. Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles (Strange Famous)
37. Nas - [Untitled] (Def Jam)
38. Group Inerane - Guitars From Agadez (Sublime Frequencies '07)
39. Calle 13 - Residente o Visitante (Norte '07)
40. Sir Victor Uwaifo - Guitar-Boy Superstar 1970-1976
41. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward (Universal/Ecstatic Peace)
42. No Age - Nouns (Sub Pop)
43. Sleeping in the Aviary - Expensive Vomit in a Cheap Hotel (Sound of Science)
44. DJ Yoda - Fabriclive.39 (Fabric)
45. Nigeria 70 - Lagos Jump Original Heavyweight Afrobeat, Highlife & Afro Funk
46. Gabi Lunca - Songs From a Bygone Age Vol. 5 (Asphalt Tango)
47. James McMurtry - Just Us Kids (Lightning Rod)
48. Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Vice '07)
49. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions (In the Red '06)
50. Robert Creeley - Really! (Paris '07)
51. Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt80 - Sean Kuti & Fela's Egypt80 (Disorient)
52. Taylor Swift - Fearless (Big Machine)
53. Al Green - Lay It Down (Blue Note)
54. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (Roc-A-Fella)
55. The Asylum Street Spankers - What? And Give Up Show Biz? (Yellow Dog)
56. Kid Creole - Going Places - The August Darnell Years 1976-1983 (Stunt Company)
57. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV (Halo Twenty Six)
58. B-52's - Funplex (Astralwerks)
59. Rich Man's War (Ruf)
60. Umalali - The Garifuna Women's Project (Cumbancha)
61. The So So Glos - Tourism/Terrorism (Green Owl)
62. Jean Grae - Jeanius (Blacksmith)
63. Santogold - Santogold (Downtown)
64. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic (Columbia)
65. Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual (We Are Free)
66. Honeyhoney - Loose Boots (Ironworks Music)
67. The Kills - Midnight Boom (Domino)
68. Passing Strange (Ghostlight)
69. Ed Hamell - Rant & Roll (Righteous Babe)
70. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation (Lidkercow Ltd '07)
71. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks (Geffen)
72. Kimya Dawson - Alphabutt (K)
73. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell (Saddle Creek)
2008 Singles
1. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
2. Lee Dorsey - Yes We Can-Can
3. Conor Oberst - I Don't Want To Die (In the Hospital)
4. Los Campesinos! - Death to Los Campesinos!
5. Rihanna - Disturbia
6. Mike Doughty - More Bacon Than the Pan Can Handle
7. Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill
8. Randy Newman - Potholes
9. Drive-By Truckers - The Righteous Path
10. Nas - Black President
11. Estelle - American Boy
12. Lil Wayne - A Milli
13. Les Amazones de Guinee - Meres d'Afrique
14. Flo Rida - Low
15. TV on the Radio - Red Dress
16. Hayes Carll - Drunken Poet's Dream
17. Drive-By Truckers - Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife
18. Sugarland - Take Me as I Am
19. The Magnetic Fields - Please Stop Dancing
20. Old 97s - Dance With Me
21. Drive-By Truckers That Man I Shot
22. Orchestra Baobab - Pape Ndiaye
23. Dr. John - Say Whut?
24. Duffy - Serious
25. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2009 Albums
1. Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night (Arista Nashville)
2. Franco - Francophonic Vol. 2 (Sterns Africa)(Sterns Africa)
3. Loudon Wainwright III - High Wide & Handsome - The Charlie Poole Project (161)
4. Leonard Cohen - Live in London (Columbia)
5. The Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (Interscope)
6. The Baseball Project - Vol 1 - Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails (Yep Roc '08)
7. K'naan - Troubadour (A&M)
8. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali (Nonesuch)
9. tUnE-yArDs - BiRd-BrAiNs (4AD)
10. Wussy - Wussy (Shake It)
11. The xx - The xx (XL/Young Turks)
12. Mos Def - The Ecstatic (Downtown)
13. Serengeti - Dennehy (Lights, Camera, Action!)(audio8.com '08)
14. Oumou Sangare - Seya (Nonesuch)
15. Nellie McKay - Normal As Blueberry Pie--A Tribute to Doris Day (Verve)
16. Nirvana - Live at Reading (DGC)
17. Lily Allen - It's Not You, It's Me (Capitol)
18. Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel - Willie and the Wheel (Bismeaux)
19. Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come Easy Go (Decca)
20. Miranda Lambert - Revolution (Columbia)
21. Ghostface Killah - Ghostdini the Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City (Def Jam)
22. DJ /Rupture - Uproot (The Agriculture '08)
23. Mulatu Astatke/The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information (Strut)
24. Moby - Wait for Me (Mute)
25. Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Matador)
26. Doom - Born Like This (Lex)
27. White Denim - Workout Holiday (Full Time Hobby '08)
28. Neil Young - Fork in the Road (Reprise)
29. Richard Hell - Destiny Street Repaired (Insound.com)
30. The Coathangers - Scramble (Suicide Squeeze)
31. The Hold Steady - A Positive Rage (Vagrant)
32. Regina Spektor - Far (Sire)
33. Bobby Pinson - Songs for Somebody (Cash Daddy '07)
34. Glasvegas - Glasvegas (Columbia)
35. Death Cab for Cutie - The Open Door (Atlantic)
36. Modest Mouse - No One's First, and You're Next (Epic)
37. Wilco - Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch)
38. Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band (Sub Pop)
39. Patterson Hood - Murdering Oscar (and Other Love Songs) (Ruth St.)
40. Now That's What I Call Party Hits! (Capitol '07)
41. Dark Was the Night (4AD)
42. A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head (Mute)
43. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Mute)
44. Goran Bregovic - Alkohol (Wrasse)
45. Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan (Downtown)
46. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3 (Roc Nation)
47. African Pearls - Senegal 70 - Musical Exuberance (Syllart)
48. PJ Harvey & John Parish - A Woman a Man Walked By (Island))
49. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! (Interscope)
50. Girls - Album (True Panther/Fantasy Trashcan)
51. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Slumberland)
52. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood (Vapor/Sire)
53. White Denim - Fits (Downtown)
54. Rhett Miller - Rhett Miller (Shout! Factory)
55. Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)
56. The Rough Guide to Tango Revival (World Music Network)
57. Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day (Partisan)
58. They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123s (Disney Sound '08)
59. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall (Matador)
60. God Help the Girl - God Help the Girl (Matador)
61. An Horse - Rearrange Beds (Mom & Pop)
62. Jozef van Wissem - A Rose by Any Other Name - Lute Solos of the Golden Age (Incunabulum)
63. The Rough Guide to Merengue Dance (World Music Network)
64. New York Dolls - 'Cause I Sez So (Atco)
65. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (American)
66. The Living Things - Habeas Corpus (Jive)
67. Veda Hille - This Riot Life (Ape House '08)
68. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic (Warner Bros.)
69. Occidental Brothers Dance Band International - Odo Sanbra (Occidental Brothers)
70. Shakira - She Wolf (Epic)
71. Bela Fleck - Throw Down Your Heart - ...Acoustic Planet Vol. 3 - Africa Sessions (Rounder)
72. The Panic Is On (Shanachie)
73. Mulatu Astatke - New York-Addis-London - The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (Strut)
74. Kronos Quartet - Floodplain (Nonesuch)
75. The Lonely Island - Incredibad (Universal Republic)
76. Lady Sovereign - Jigsaw (Midget)
77. Group Bombino - Guitars From Agadez Vol. 2 (Sublime Frequencies)
78. The Dead Weather - Horehound (Third Man)
79. Abe Vigoda - Skeleton (PPM '08)
80. Rail Band - Rail Band 2 - Mansa (Belle Epoque '08)
81. Panama! 2 (Soundway)
82. Jonatha Brooke - The Works (Bad Dog '08)
83. Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs)
Skip To TopThe Robert Christgau Deans' Lists
2010 Albums
1.The Roots - How I Got Over (DefJam)
2.Elizabeth Cook - Welder (31 Tigers)
3.M.I.A - Maya (Deluxe Edition) (Interscope)
4.Tom Zé - Estudando a Bossa - Nordeste Plaza (Luaka Bop)
5.Rachid Taha - Bonjour (KnittingFactory)
6.Johnny Cash - American VI - Ain't No Grave (American)
7.Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark TwistedFantasy (Roc-a-Fella)
8. Tabu Ley Rochereau - The Voice of Lightness Vol. 2 - CongoClassics 1977-1993 (SternsAfrica)
9.Peter Stampfel - Dook of the Beatniks(Piety Street Files & Archaic Media '09)
10.Vampire Weekend - Contra (XL)
11.The Corin Tucker Band - 1,000 Years (KillRock Stars)
12.Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday (YoungMoney/Cash Money)
13.Girl Talk - All Day (Illegal Artdownload)
14. African Pearls - Congo - Pont Sur le Congo (Syllart)
15.No Age - Everything in Between (SubPop)
16.Care Bears on Fire - Girls Like It Loud(S-Curve download)
17.Robyn - Body Talk (Konochiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope)
18.Lil Wayne - No Ceilings (free download'09)
19.Allo Darlin' - Allo Darlin' (FortunaPop!)
20.D.O. Misiani and Shirati Jazz - The Kingof History (Sterns Africa)
21.Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope'09)
22.Systema Solar - Systema Solar (Chusma)
23.The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (Merge)
24.The Rough Guide to Desert Blues(World Music Network)
25.Macy Gray - The Sellout (Concord)
26.Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (4AD)
27.Love Is All - Two Thousand and TenInjuries (Polyvinyl)
28.Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard - 'Em AreI (RoughTrade '09)
29.Dessa - A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree)
30.Shad - TSOL (BlackBox/Decon)
31.Pierre de Gaillande - Bad Reputation (Barbès)
32.Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma (Warp)
33.MC Paul Barman - Thought Balloon MushroomCloud (Househusband download '09)
34.Tokyo Police Club - Champ (Mom+ Pop)
35.Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (XL)
36.The Whitefield Brothers - Earthology (Now-Again)
37.Gabriel Johnson - Fra_ctured(Electrofone)
38.Surfer Blood - Astro Coast (Kanine)
39.LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (DFA/Virgin)
40.Rokia Traoré - Tchamantché (Nonesuch'09)
41.Das Racist - Sit Down, Man (Mad Decentdownload)
42.Best Coast - Crazy for You (MexicanSummer)
43.Cornershop - Judy Sucks a Lemon forBreakfast (AmplePlay)
44.El DeBarge - Second Chance (Geffen)
45.Die Antwoord - $0$ (Cherrytree/Interscope)
46.The Pernice Brothers - Goodbye, Killer (Ashmont)
47.Quasi - American Gong (KillRock Stars)
48.The National - High Violet (4AD)
49.Scissor Sisters - Night Work (Downtown/Polydor)
50.David Bazan - Curse Your Branches (Barsuk'09)
51.Now That's What I Call Club Hits 2 (EMI)
52.Nicki Minaj - Beam Me Up Scotty(Trapaholics download '09)
53.Nas & Damian JR. Gong Marley - Distant Relatives (DefJam)
54.Kinito Méndez - Éxitos de Kinito Méndez(J & N '05)
55.Shangaan Electro - New Wave DanceMusic From South Africa (HonestJons)
56.Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca - Isabela(Mopiato Music '07)
57.Diplo - Diplo Presents Dubstep - Blow YourHead (Downtown/MadDecent)
58.Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - The Logic ofChance (Sunday Best)
59.Balkan Beat Box - Blue Eyed Black Boy (NatGeo Music)
60.Eskmo - Eskmo (NinjaTune)
61.Sleigh Bells - Treats (Mom+ Pop)
62.Das Racist - Shut Up, Dude (Mishkadownload)
63.Eminem - Recovery (Aftermath/Interscope)
64.Tricky - Mixed Race (Domino)
65. Everybody Was in theFrench Resistance . . . Now! - Fixing the Charts - Volume One (CookingVinyl)
66. Loretta Lynn and Friends - Coal Miner's Daughter - A Tribute to LorettaLynn (Columbia)
67.Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot. . . The Son of Chico Dusty (DefJam)
68.Youssou N'Dour - I Bring What I Love (Nonesuch)
69. Beatles Beginnings - Quarrymen One - Skiffle-Country-Western (Rhythmand Blues '09)
70.Of Montreal - False Priest (Polyvinyl)
71.Taylor Swift - Speak Now (BigMachine)
72.Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca - Retrospectiva(Mopiato Music '09)
73.MC Esoteric - Saving Seamus Ryan (FlyCasual '09)
74.Hole - Nobody's Daughter (Mercury)
75.Les Savy Fav - Root for Ruin (Frenchkiss)
76.Old 97's - The Grand Theatre Volume One (NewWest)
77.Spoon - Transference (Merge)
78.Standard Fare - The Noyelle Beat (Bar/None)
79.Konono No. 1 - Assume Crash Position (CrammedDiscs)
80.The Bundles - The Bundles (K)
81.The Mountain Goats - The Life of the Worldto Come(4AD '09)
82.Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar - Devla -Blown Away to Dancefloor Heaven (Piranha)
2010 Singles
1. Robyn - Don't F***ingTell Me What to Do (Konochiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope)
2. Elizabeth Cook - ElCamino (31 Tigers)
3. Die Antwoord - Enterthe Ninja (Cherrytree/Interscope)
4. Scissor Sisters - We're Running Out (Downtown/Polydor)
5. Jason Derulo - Ridin'Solo (Ian Nieman Club Mix) (Warner Bros.)
6. Far East Movement - Like a G6 (Cherrytree/Interscope)
7. Robyn - Dancing on MyOwn (Konochiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope)
8. Afrikan Boy - Lidl (Out Here)
9. LCD Soundsystem -Drunk Girls (DFA/Virgin)
10. Lady Gaga - BadRomance (Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope)
11. The Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) (Merge)
12. Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Mishka download)
13. Katy Perry - TeenageDream (Capitol)
14. Das Racist - FakePatois (Mishka download)
15. Vampire Weekend - Horchata (XL)
16. Taio Cruz - Dynamite (Mercury)
17. Jerry Lee Lewis - Mean Old Man (Verve)
18. Shakira - Waka Waka(This Time for Africa) (Epic)
19. Major Lazer - Soundof Siren (Downtown)
20. Ben Folds/Nick Hornby - Levi Johnson's Blues (Nonesuch)
